Composed to accompany a video of the same name, CANYON DREAMS is one of Tangerine Dream's better '80s recordings, with enough dramatic flair and intriguing sequences to sit it squarely with their classic '70s releases. This time around, the band comprises Edgar Froese, Christopher Franke, and Paul Haslinger (who would later helm the Private Music-era records OPTICAL RACE and MELROSE with Froese), and it marks TD's brave move into the realm of digital synthesis.The perambulating sequencer patterns of yore are mostly gone, replaced by bright digital curtains and beatific sound shadings. Tangerine Dream have always excelled in their ability to draw a veritable rainbow of sonic hues from their machines; "Sudden Revelation" uses melancholic blue sapphire synth fogs and purple twilight bell sounds to illustrate its isolationism, while the metallic percussive lattices and panpipes of "Shadow Flyer" soar majestically above the listener. Forget the video and indulge in the recording proper.